Netherlands Completes First Large-Scale 3D Seabed Survey to Boost Offshore Wind Planning

For the first time, a large-scale 3D Ultra High Resolution Seismic (3D UHRS) soil survey has been conducted in the North Sea, commissioned by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and carried out by TGS between mid-June and late August 2024. The survey focused on the Doordewind Wind Farm Zone, covering over 300 km² and reaching depths of up to 100 meters, which is critical for wind turbine foundation design and cable routing.

This groundbreaking 3D approach offers significantly higher resolution than previous 2D surveys, capturing soil data every few meters rather than every 70 meters. It marks a major step forward in offshore wind site assessment and data accuracy, providing developers with more detailed and reliable data.

The study posed a major technical challenge, being the first of its kind on such a scale. RVO coordinated the effort to reduce uncertainty for future offshore wind projects and will publish the full results in early 2025 at offshorewind.rvo.nl.

In parallel, RVO is overseeing other complex offshore research campaigns in the Nederwiek and Doordewind zones, involving multiple ships, including those commissioned by grid operator TenneT. These efforts support the Netherlands’ 21 GW Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap, with permit rounds expected in 2025 for Nederwiek and 2027 for Doordewind. By coordinating studies and sharing data with partners like TenneT, RVO aims to streamline development and avoid redundant research.